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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. N. GIFFORD. GAB. GOUPLING.

No. 548,914. Y]:"aJte111;ed Oct. 29?` 1895.

UNrrnn f STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

EZRA N. VGIFFOR'D, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAMGILCHRIST, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 548,914, dated October 29,1895. Application iiled July 29, 1895. .Serial No. 557,467.. (No model.)

To all whom it 7am/y concern.-

Beit known that I, EZRA N. GIFFORD, acitizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a car-coupler of the generalclass known as the Master Oar-Builders type, wherein certaindifficulties which have existed in all car-cou plers ot' that classheretofore devised shall be wholly obviated; also, to accomplish thisend in the simplest possible manner and with the smallest number ofparts possible, and also to have the construction and arrangement ofparts of exceptional strength and durability, easily operated, andprompt, certain, and effective in their action.

. The nature of my improvements will be readily understood from thefollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure l is a horizontal section of my device, showing theoperating parts in coupled position; Fig. 2, a similar view showing theoperating parts in uncoupled position; Fig. 3, a similar view showingthe operative parts `also in unconpled position, but with the uncouplingcam-lever at the extreme outer limit of lts throw after having openedthe knuckle; Fig. V4, a vertical cross-section taken on the line 4: ofFig. l and viewed in the directionof the arrow; Fig. 5, a verticallongitudinal section taken on the line 5 of Fig. 4 and viewed in thedirection of the arrow; Fig. 6, a detached bottom plan view of theknuckle; and Fig. 7, a detached broken view, partly in section, of theuncoupling cam-lever and the' arm attached thereto for throwing it intoand out of operative position.

A is the draw-bar, and B the draw-bar head, bifurcated,as usual, to formthe recessed jaws t and s, between and within which the principaloperating parts are mounted. The upper jaw t is provided with a sectoralopening r and the lower jaw s with a sectoral opening q of similar form,provided on its rear side' with an inclined spiral shoulder p, formingthe short section of a screwlplane.' The upper sectoral opening isprovided with a spiral iunder surface with a cam-recess t'.

shoulder p', corresponding with the shoulder p in the lower opening.Extending vertically through the openings last described is a barv C ofpeculiar construction, which serves as the lock and which constitutes inits association with other parts one of the leading features of myinvention. This bar is provided at its upper end with a handle 0 andhead n and toward its lower end below the lower jaw causing the bar toturn for acer-tain distance upon its longitudinalaxis both in rising andfalling. On the other hand it will be obvious that by reason of theshoulders referred to a turning action exerted upon the bar C mustincidentally cause it to rise or descend, as the case may be. Aboutmidway o f the height of the bar C and toward the front face thereof isa beveled projection D, the upper and lower faces k and 7c of which aresections of con'- trary screw-planes, as shown. The purpose of thisprojection will appear hereinafter.'

E is the knuckle, pivotally mounted in the forward end of the head inthe usual way, and

tongue or locking-arm has its outer corner cut I away, as shown at j,and is provided on its Intermediate between the knuckle E and the lock Cis the uncoupling cam-lever F, which is pivotedat about its centerthrough the lower jaw s by means of a spindle h, upon the lower end ofwhich, below the lower jaw s, isv rigidly mounted the curved arm G. Tothe outer end of the arm G the uncoupling hand-lever H is pivotallyconnected, and this lever is tobe understood as sliding in one or moresuitableA guides on the car, as may be desired. The

'end of the uncoupling cam-lever F which yis IOO the knuckle E, and itsopposite end with two notehesf and f', the function of which is toengage the locking-bar C in certain positions, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

In order that the operation of my improved coupler may be clearlyunderstood, let the parts be supposed to be in the position shown inFig. 1 and that it is desired to uncouple and place the parts inposition for automatic recoupling. In this figure it will be seen theknuckle E is not only in coupled position, but

is also securely locked there by reason of the fact that the curvededgej of the locking-arm is in engagement with the abutting curved facee of the locking-bar, from which it cannot be released except by turningthe locking-bar out of abutting position. It will be seen that,theoretically, the locking-bar at the edge farthest from its abuttingedge merely rocks in the operation of turning against the narrow end ofthe sectoral openings, though practically it has more or less play atthis point, since its fits somewhat loosely. On the other hand, theabutting or locking edge in the operation of turning passes through thewhole or a large part of the arc described by the wide end of thesectoral opening. The turning of the locking-bar can only take place inconjunction with the incidental rising of the locking-bar by reason ofthe spiral shoulders Zandp, hereinbefore referred to, and this fact istaken advantage of to give still further security to the locking throughthe medium of the beveled projection D,havingspiral faces-that is tosay, when in locked position the side of the lower portion of thisprojection bears against the upper edge of the locking-arm of theknuckle, and in order to permit the turning of the locking-bar to theposition shown in Fig. 2 it is necessary that it be raised sufficientlyto permit the lockingarm to clear this projection. The spiral form ofthe planes Zt 7c of this projection has thus far no function, theirfunction only coming into play in the act of coupling, when the lockingarm strikes the locking-bar and clears it by turning and incidentallyraising it, as will be hereinafter described. For the purpose of thusturning and lifting 'the locking-bar C the hand-lever H is pulledoutward to the position shown in Fig. 2, the presence of thecorresponding knuckle upon the other car preventing the further outwardthrow of the parts. In the absence of any corresponding knuckle inengagement the parts can be thrown tothe position shown in Fig. 3; butobviously in practice this can take place only after the cars have beenuncoupled. In throwing the uncoupling camlever F from the position shownin Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2 it swings upon its pivot,causing the stud g to describe an arc within the cam-recess of theknuckle without, however, engaging the wall of that cam-recess. Hencethe only function performed by the unlocking cam-lever F in thatmovement is upon the locking-bar C-that is to say, in the movementreferred to the inner curved end of the unlocking cam-lever engages theadjacent angle of the locking-bar C and turns that bar to the positionshown in Fig. 2, bringing the angle referred to into the notch f. Asbefore explained, the turning of the locking-bar causes it to rise inits bearings by reason of. the fact that the spiral shoulder t upon thelocking-bar travels upon the corresponding spiral shoulder p in thedraw-bar head, thus carrying the bar out of locked position. The knuckleis then wholly loose upon its pivot, and hence in position foruncoupling. Understanding the uncoupling to have taken place, theknuckle will naturally have assumed the position shown in Fig. 2.

When the knuckle is in the position shown in Fig. 2, it is not only inuncoupled position, but is also in the proper position for switching;but, as has been mentioned, the knuckle at this time swings loosely uponits pivot and cannot be depended upon to remain in that position, butmay easily be caused to swing to the position shown in Fig. 1, when ritis not in position for recoupling. Assuming this to have happened, it isnecessary that some means be provided for readily restoring it to theproper position for recoupling, and this is done by simply exerting afurther pull upon the hand-.lever H, thereby throwing the unlockingcamlever to the position shown in Fig. 3. In this movement the stud g ofthe unlocking cam-lever, which would then be near the inner extremity ofthe recess t', will travel along the wall of that recess, thus throwingthe locking-arm to the position shown in Fig. 2. This done, theunlocking cam-lever may be returned to the position shown in Fig. 2,which leaves the entire device in position to be thrown back to theposition shown in Fig. 2 in the act of switching.

To place the parts in proper Vposition for coupling, the hand-lever Hmust be thrust inward to the position shown in Fig. 1, while the knuckleis in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Underthesecircumstancesthelocking-bar C will obviously have the position shown in Fig. 1 Withoutbeing in engagement with the locking-arm of the knuckle, andtheunlocking cam-lever F will obviously be idle. Then the impact withthe knuckle on the other car throws the locking-arm inward, causing itto strike against the edge of the locking-bar C and turn the latter tothe position shown in Figs. 2 and 8 for the passage by it of thelocking-arm to the position shown in Fig. 1, and as soon as the end ofthe locking-bar reaches the recessed part j of the locking-arm it fallsby vgravity and incidentally turns back to the position shown in Fig. 1,thereby locking the parts in coupled position. From this it will be seenthat even without the projection D the locking could be automaticallyeffected; but there is an advantage in not only having the locking-armoperate indirectly to raise the locking-bar by turning it, but alsohaving it IOO IIO

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operate positively to lift the bar by engaging the spiral face 7c on thelower side of the projection D. It is also an advantage to have theupper spiral shoulder lo', which bears against a corresponding rib orshoulder c on the inner wall of' the draw-bar head. The shoulders lo andc act in conjunction with the shoulders p and Z and p and l in guidingthe locking-bar both in its rise and descent, thus forming in eectsections at intervals of the same screwplane or parallel screw-planes,and thereby giving strength and stability to the lock as well as formingan accurate spiral guide.

It has already been intimated that the projection D,with its incidentalspiral faces, may be omitted. It will also be obvious that one or theother of the remaining spiral engaging parts, preferably the shoulders pand L', may be omitted; but my invention requires some construction bywhich a spiral shoulder on some portion of the locking-bar shall travelupon a corresponding shoulder in the drawbar head, tothe endhereinbefore explained. As to the sectoral openings in the upper andlower jaws of the bifurcated draw-bar head, it should be observed thatthe locking-bar passes wholly through both these openings andincidentally in its operation describes a sector. Any form of openingssuitable to permit the proper movement of the locking-bar is obviouslythe equivalent of the particular form shown, and is hence intended to beincluded by the term sectoral appearing in the speciflcation and claims,since whatever the form only a certain sectoral portion of it would bethe effective or necessary part and all beyond the limits of that partwould be mere surplus. It will further be seen that the notches f and fin the inner end of the unlocking cam-lever may be omitted withoutmaterially aecting the operation of the device, though their presence isdesirable. It will further be obvious that the cam-recess i in thelocking-arm of the knuckle may be located in the opposite side of thatarm with suitable modification of the unlocking cam-lever, in order topermit the proper engagement,or that this recess,whether on the one sideor the other, may be supplanted by a rib ofthe proper form; and, ingeneral, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself toany special form in the mere matters of detail in the case ot' ordinarymechanical features, since these may be readily varied by any onepossessed of the requisite mechanical skill.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupler, the combination with the bifurcated draw-bar headand the knuckle pivotally mounted therein, of a locking-bar,substantially uniform in cross-sectional dimensions throughout itslength, extending vertically, in the path of the locking-arm of theknuckle, through openings in the upper and lower jaws of the draw-barhead of such form as to permit the locking-arm in its movement todescribe the sector of a circle, a spiral shoulder on the locking-bar,and a corresponding spiral shoulder on the draw-bar head with which thesaid shoulder on the locking-bar engages, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination with the bifurcated draw-bar headprovided with the knuckle E pivotally mounted therein, of a locking-bar,substantially uniform in crosssectional dimensions throughout itslength, extending vertically, in the path of the locking-arm ot' theknuckle, through openings in the upper and lower jaws of the draw-harhead, of such form as to permit the lockingarm in its movement todescribe the sector of a circle, a spiral shoulder on the locking-bar, acorresponding spiral shoulder in the drawbar head with which theshoulder on the locking-bar engages, and means for raising and turningthe locking-bar to release the locking. arm, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination of the bifurcated draw-bar headhaving sectoral openings through its upper and lower jaws and with theknuckle E pivotally mounted in the draw-bar head, of a locking-barextending vertically through the said sectoral openings in the path ofthe locking-arm of the knuckle, and provided with a spiral shoulderengaging with a corresponding spiral shoulder in the draw-bar head,whereby in the act of coupling the locking-arm strikes, turns and raisesthe locking-arm, and the latter after it has been cleared by thelocking-arm returns by the action of gravity to its normal position,thereby locking the knuckle in coupled position, of means for releasingthe locking-arm from engagement with the locking-bar to permitluncoupling, comprising a cam-lever engaging the locking-arm to turn andraise it, and means for operating the said cam-lever, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a car-coupler, the combination with the bifurcated draw-bar headprovided with sectoral openings through its upper and lower jaws andwith a knuckle E pivotally mounted in said jaws and provided on itslocking-arm with a cam-guide, of alocking-bar extending verticallythrough said sectoral openings in the path of the locking-arm of theknuckle, and provided with one or more spiral shoulders engaging one ormore spiral shoulders in the draw-bar head, whereby in the act ofcoupling the locking-arm strikes, clears and is in turn locked by thelocking-bar, of a carnlever F pivotally mounted in the draw-bar headbetween the fulcrum of the knuckle and IOO IIO

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the locking-bar, and in position to engage the the bifurcated draw-barhead having sectoral openings through its upper and lower jaws, and withthe knuckle E pivotally mounted therein, of the locking-bar C in thepath of the locking-arm ot' the knuckle, having spiral shoulders Z and Zengaging with corresponding shoulders in the draw-bar head, whereby inthe act of coupling the said locking-bar is engaged by the saidlocking-arm and turned and incidentally raised thereby, and when cleareddescends by gravity and serves as a lock, in combination with a spiralshoulder k upon the said locking-bar, Which is engaged by the end of thelocking-arm of the knuckle, substantially as described.

6. In a car-coupler, the combination with the bifurcated draw-bar headprovided with sectoral openings through its upper and lower jaws, andwith the knuckle E pivotally mounted in the draw-bar head and providedupon its locking-arm with a cam-guide, of the locking-bar C extending through both sectoral openings and provided with spiral shoulders Z Z andla engaging corresponding spiral shoulders@ p and ein the draw-bar head,unlocking cam-lever F pivotally mounted upon the lower jaw by a spindleh extending through the same and adapted at its inner end to engage thelocking-bar, and at its outer end to engage the cam-guide on theknuckle, an arm G rigidly mounted upon the lower end of the spindle h,and a hand-lever H pivotally connected to the arm G, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a car-coupler, the combination with the bifurcated draw-bar headprovided with sectoral openings through its upper and lower jaws, andwith the knuckle E pivotally mounted in the draw-bar head and having thecurved edgej and the cam-recess i upon its locking-arm, of thelocking-bar C extending through both said sectoral openings and retainedtherein by a. stop m and provided with a lifting handle o and withspiral shoulders Z Z and 71e engaging corresponding spiral shoulders ppand c in the draw-bar head, and with the spiral shoulder 7c to engagethe free end of the locking-arm of the knuckle, unlocking cam-lever Fpivotally connected to the lower jaw of the draw-bar head by means oflthe spindle 71, passing through the same and having at its inner endthe notchesf and f and at its outer end the stud g, arm G rigidlyconnected to the spindle h below the draw-bar head, and hand-lever Hpivotally connected to the arm G, substantially as described.

EZRA N. GIFFoRD.

In presence of- M. J. FROST, J. H. LEE.

